| Q: |
Has there been an increase in the number of delinquency cases ordered to formal probation or residential placement? |
| A: |
Nearly all the growth in the number of adjudicated delinquency cases in which the youth was placed on formal probation or ordered to a residential facility took place between 1985 and 1997. |
Adjudicated delinquency cases by disposition, 1985-2020
| Year |
Residential
placement |
Probation |
Other sanction |
| 1985 |
107,700 |
199,400 |
31,400 |
| 1986 |
113,100 |
204,800 |
35,000 |
| 1987 |
109,500 |
200,400 |
33,500 |
| 1988 |
110,200 |
199,800 |
37,500 |
| 1989 |
121,900 |
217,600 |
40,400 |
| 1990 |
124,000 |
225,100 |
39,700 |
| 1991 |
128,500 |
236,500 |
46,100 |
| 1992 |
132,500 |
253,100 |
48,500 |
| 1993 |
138,000 |
275,900 |
53,900 |
| 1994 |
149,100 |
299,000 |
59,600 |
| 1995 |
156,300 |
321,400 |
58,600 |
| 1996 |
168,200 |
356,100 |
62,700 |
| 1997 |
178,000 |
378,900 |
59,700 |
| 1998 |
180,000 |
376,200 |
56,300 |
| 1999 |
180,000 |
370,800 |
51,400 |
| 2000 |
178,800 |
381,300 |
46,500 |
| 2001 |
167,500 |
377,800 |
43,300 |
| 2002 |
165,000 |
371,500 |
51,600 |
| 2003 |
162,200 |
366,000 |
49,900 |
| 2004 |
154,700 |
362,200 |
50,100 |
| 2005 |
151,600 |
345,600 |
49,000 |
| 2006 |
147,800 |
343,200 |
42,300 |
| 2007 |
145,600 |
342,900 |
42,000 |
| 2008 |
138,900 |
339,600 |
45,400 |
| 2009 |
122,200 |
307,600 |
40,500 |
| 2010 |
112,900 |
278,200 |
36,600 |
| 2011 |
102,400 |
255,800 |
32,800 |
| 2012 |
89,200 |
225,100 |
30,600 |
| 2013 |
80,900 |
207,700 |
25,800 |
| 2014 |
73,300 |
195,300 |
24,100 |
| 2015 |
66,700 |
175,000 |
20,300 |
| 2016 |
63,900 |
159,900 |
21,100 |
| 2017 |
62,900 |
154,000 |
21,300 |
| 2018 |
58,200 |
142,400 |
18,800 |
| 2019 |
51,900 |
131,000 |
14,700 |
| 2020 |
35,900 |
88,700 |
9,500 |
Note: Cases are categorized according to their most severe disposition.
It is important to note that 2020 was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have impacted policies, procedures, and data collection activities regarding referrals to and processing of youth by juvenile courts. Additionally, stay-at-home orders and school closures likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior by youth referred to juvenile court in 2020.
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[ CSV file ]
- In dispositional hearings, juvenile court judges must determine the most appropriate sanction for delinquent youth. Disposition options include commitment to an institution or another residential facility; probation; or a variety of other dispositions, such as referral to an outside agency or treatment program, community service, fines, or restitution. Very often the court imposes some combination of these sanctions.
- The number of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in residential placement increased 65% between 1985 and 1997 and then fell 80% through 2020. In 2020, an estimated 35,900 adjudicated delinquency cases were ordered to residential placement — 27% of all adjudicated delinquency cases.
- The number of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in formal probation nearly doubled between 1985 and 1997, then decreased 77% through 2020. In 2020, formal probation was the most restrictive disposition ordered in 88,700 delinquency cases — 66% of all adjudicated delinquency cases.
- The number of adjudicated delinquency cases receiving other court ordered sanctions nearly doubled between 1985 and 1997, and then decreased 84% by 2020. In 2020, other sanctions, such as community service and restitution, were imposed in 9,500 adjudicated delinquency cases — 7% of all adjudicated delinquency cases.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06501.asp?qaDate=2020.
Released on January 10, 2023. Adapted from Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics. Available on-line at: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezajcs/.
Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.
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